We'll Meet Again
by IsabellaAnne-Rogers
Summary: Emily Henderson was your average girl... well except for the strange things happening in town, her brother being always involve in those things along with her former crush and best friend, and the person she loves being a total bully.
1. Prologue: Secret, Secret

Prologue : _"Secret, Secret, I've got a Secret"_

Mr Roboto Styx

"I can't tell you" he half shouted. Pacing back and forth hoping this would be the end of it but he knew that Emily Henderson was not one to back down.

"I thought we were friends Steve" Emily almost cried, she didn't mean to sound like a whiny girl but it hurt knowing her best friend Steve Harrington was hiding something from her. She knew Dustin was also part of it and the rest of his party too, but Steve was the one person who wouldn't lie to her… or at least he didn't before.

"We are Emily" Steve replied with a frown. "Which is why I can't tell you, I care about you too much," he whispered, lowering his voice, silently pleading with his eyes to just drop it.

Emily's heart skipped a beat as she put too much thought into those words… _I care about you too much. _What did that mean?

Steve completely forgot about what would have been their first date, to run off to Nancy and then showed up with her brother and the police with no explanation at all. Well other than the clearly made up explanation that the people in the suits gave her mom, nothing made sense and nobody but her seemed to question it.

Emily turned around, heartbroken because she knew that although maybe Steve was right and she didn't need to know the whole reason… She also selfishly knew that the window of opportunity for them closed. Steve would most likely get back with Nancy, which she wanted to be happy for him, she really did but she also wanted to be happy too.. with Steve.

"I'll see you later Steve," Emily whispered as she went back inside her home. Passing the living room, petting Mews and going back to her room to overthink what could have been with Steve.

* * *

July 2nd 1984

Emily knew it was all coming to an end but she couldn't help herself when it came to making promises and plans for their future..._Their_… How naive was she to think this would last more than a summer fling. She took a deep breath and inhaled the salty air. Her toes felt warm and her skin was beyond tanned, she looked nothing like what Emily from Indiana would look like.

A pair of arms wrapped around her, "Stop thinking so much, or else I might have to distract you right in front of everyone," said a deep voice behind her. The smell of salt, cigarettes and cologne was her new favorite scent, and she couldn't get enough of it. "Oh yeah, what makes you think I would be that easy to distract?" Emily teased knowing he loved this side of her.

"The fact you practically melt in my arms as soon as I do this" he replied as he kissed behind her ear and moved his way down. "Okay you win Hargrove" she breathlessly laughed as she moved her head to escape his lips. "You asked for it Henderson" Billy replied as he lifted her up and carried her deeper into the ocean.

California was beautiful and to any one looking they looked like the normal teen couple having a summer romance. Emily was happy and she didn't want to go back home. Of course she missed her mom, Dustin and… Steve. It took her awhile to realize Steve would always love Nancy. But it took her an even longer time to accept that things happened for a reason. And her reason was Billy Hargrove, a California heartthrob "bad boy" that actually had feelings on the inside.

At first they met by coincidence when she went to the arcade with her cousin and he was picking up his sister there. He was cocky and knew he could get any girl, yet when Emily turned him down, he knew she was going to be his girl. It seemed that as big as California was, Billy had a way of finding her. He tried his dirty pickup lines and showed of his car but ultimately it was his kindness that won her over. The side nobody sees, just her. And that's all she wanted, for the world to just be them two…always.


	2. Chapter 1: Walk in the Sun

Chapter 1

"_I want to be the one to walk in the sun"_

Girls Just Want to have fun - Cyndi Lauper

Hawkins, Indiana… The town that never changed. Months had passed since Will Byers disappeared and reappeared, and of course the strange disappearance of Barb, whom didn't have the same luck as Will. But it was the beginning of summer, and Emily wanted to be selfish this year, she wanted to have fun and not stress out about things that she couldn't control.

Thankfully Emily's cousin, Tara, who was just a year older, was headed to California with her family for a vacation. This was the perfect escape, she could focus on having fun, get ready for her junior year, and most importantly get over Steve. After their talk outside of her house, Steve gave her space. Little did she know that space would be mostly due to him giving all his attention to his girlfriend, Nancy Wheeler. She was happy for Steve, truly… But she couldn't help that pang of jealousy that hit her every time she thought of them.

Nancy and Emily were in the same year, yet they never clicked as well as their younger siblings did. Emily always preferred Steve, even if he was a year older. She couldn't help but let her thoughts drift to the days they spent playing outside, Steve showing off his new basketball and Emily cheering him on with her new pom-poms. It was one of the reasons she joined Cheerleading, although she hated to admit it. "Need help?". There it was the one voice she was trying to avoid, it was like her thoughts called him to her.

"Hey.. what are you doing here?" Emily stopped her folding and set the dress down. Steve walked into the room fully, "Well considering you didn't even tell me you were leaving, I decided to still be the best friend I am and help you pack." Steve knew things had been awkward, he also knew that it was because of his relationship with Nancy. He wasn't as dumb as people thought he was, sure it took him years to realize it but he eventually did… His best friend was in love with him. Emily meant the world to him, he loved her too, but there was no way they would work out. He sat down at the foot of her bed, staring at the suitcase. Had he really pushed her away to the point she couldn't even tell him about her summer plans?

"You've been so busy Steve. I mean you're a senior now. You have essays to write. You have basketball…. you have Nancy." The last part came out a whisper, the last thing Emily needed was Steve to realize that she was jealous. She felt him move towards her and grab her hands, but she couldn't look into his eyes. "Hey, look at me". But Emily refused to look. "Em-bear, look at me" Steve insisted.

With a roll of her eyes Emily stared at Steve. "You know I hate that nickname" she glared at him playfully. "Sure, and I hate my hair" he responded back with a chuckle knowing very well she was lying. Emily loved her nickname, how could she not, Steve had given it to her back when they were kids.

_She had been trying to learn how to play basketball even though all the boys said she couldn't since she was a girl. One of the boys pushed her down and caused her to scrape her knees, Emily being the young 5 year old kid she was, burst into tears. But then Steve came and lifted her up, helped her wobble to a bench and proceeded to put a bandaid on her scrape. "Be careful Em-Bear, you need to keep your stuffing inside not outside". Emily was too young to even think about the nickname, all she cared about was the fact that Steve had a special name for her and that made her little heart glow._

For a moment they felt like it was old times. Just Steve and Emily. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you but I just need some time away." Emily pulled her hands away knowing that every second they were in his, was false hope she would have. She moved back to her side and continued folding. "I dig that. You need some time away to grow fonder of me. Too much Steve and you might die." Steve winked, and Emily couldn't help but love him more. He was goofy and she loved that, it was something people wouldn't see in King Steve but this was just for her eyes… and Nancy.

Emily playfully pushed him, "You're the biggest nerd in Indiana Steve." Her smile grew by every second. "I'm sure what you meant was that I need to be away from your annoying hairy persona." Steve slapped a hand to his chest, "Em-bear, I'm offended." The rest of the morning passed by with Steve and Emily packing, remembering old memories, and Steve unpacking some items "secretly" while Emily let him because she was just happy to be spending time with him.

* * *

"Emily will you and Steve set the table?" Emily heard a voice say from far away. She knew it had to be her mom, but she was so comfy and warm that she couldn't help snuggle closer to the source of heat. The source jumped up and her eyes flew open. "Yes we can Mrs. Henderson!" Steve's heart was racing, he knew this looked inappropriate and not once did he want Emily's mom to think bad about him and her daughter.

Claudia laughed with a bright smile, she knew these two would end up together. Of course she would never allow Emily to close the door when Steve came over but she also trusted them. Steve was a wonderful boy and when Emily cried months ago after talking to Steve outside, she knew her daughter was truly in love with the boy. It was a shame their time wasn't here yet, but she didn't doubt they would end up getting married. At least her grandchildren would have Emily's beauty along with Steve's great hair. "Hurry up, you know Dustin will eat everything on that table without plates or utensils" Claudia said as she smiled her way back to the kitchen.

Both red faced teens headed to the dining room and set the table, for the first time not being awkward but just accepting of their feelings and the reality of it all. Dinner passed with Steve being the target of Emily's teasing and Dustin jumping in. Emily loves seeing how her brother looked up to Steve, and how Steve cared so much about him in return.

"I'll be here waiting for you to get back" Steve pulled her in for a hug, and she hugged him back mentally saying goodbye to her crush on him and accepting that Steve would always be her best friend.

After Steve left she did one more bag check and made sure she had all she would need and more. "You're coming back aren't you?" She looked up as she set her luggage next to the door. "Of course I am dingus" laughed Emily as she pulled her younger brother into a hug. "Someone has to make sure you and your friends stay out of trouble".

Dustin stepped back and looked around her room. His sister helped him understand their parents divorce and get through it, she was always there to hug him when he cried and to answer questions their parents wouldn't go him. He might not say it often but he loved her and would never want her to leave. "Just making sure. You can't miss the day my pearls come in"

Emily laughed and hugged him again. "I would never miss that day for the world." After spending some time with Dustin, and him writing her a list of things he wanted from California, she was finally laying down and ready to go to sleep. Tomorrow morning she would leave Hawkins. She would be in a completely different place, which meant new adventures and new memories. Emily closed her eyes not knowing what to expect, but something told her she was in for a great summer.

* * *

**Authors note: **

**Hello and welcome! **

**I've been wanting to write a fanfic for years, but never had the courage… until now. I never expected my first fanfic to be from Stranger Things, but I just felt that Billy's character needed a story behind all that hate and pain. I want my OC to be relatable yet also fit the show and the 80's society. Of course I want all characters of the show to stay true to their personalities, but I also want to explore some additional feelings and backstories, so at times it might get a little "Out of character". Hopefully not too much though! **

**I want to take a moment to say thank you to everyone who followed, favorited and read the prologue! Receiving that first favorite notification meant the world to me and gave me inspiration to continue posting. **

**I hope you all enjoy this chapter, although it lacks Billy. But I wanted Emily to have her own backstory before she jumped into the action. There will be Billy in the next one though! **

**If there are any errors, you have questions, ideas or anything at all don't hesitate to PM or review me! **

**Thank you all again and enjoy this next chapter! **


	3. Chapter 2: The Things You Do To Me

Chapter 2

"_But it's the way you do the things you do to me"_

The Tide is High - Blondie

Waves… Seagulls...And yelling? "Wake up!"

"Come on Emily, we're going to miss all the hot guys at the beach." Emily did her best to ignore her cousin, but as much as she tried her cousins high pitch yelling would make it impossible. "We have to get breakfast, take Wesley to the arcade, and make it to the beach before all the surfers." Tara was speaking so fast as she zoomed around the room getting dressed.

Emily took this time to glance at the clock…It was only 7:00am. This was only the third day they had been in California, the first two days were spent sleeping in, and being the usual tourist on vacation. Her aunt and uncle were all about adventure, fun, and making memories, which was something she couldn't help but envy from Tara. While her parents were amazing and she loved them more than anything, she couldn't help but feel like she was missing out on the whole family thing. She wanted to go on vacations with both her mom and dad, lounge around while Dustin did something nerdy, she wanted the whole experience. But Emily was grateful that at least her aunt and uncle would always make her feel like a part of their family. Tara had two siblings, Wesley whom was Dustin's age and Josh, who was only two years old. Her aunt and uncle had planned on doing some sightseeing with Josh, therefore they were allowing Tara, Emily, and Wesley to roam around the boardwalk area near their rental house.

Emily's uncle had a coworker who had a vacation home and he generously offered to let them stay there. It had a path to the beach from the backyard, and you could hear the waves crashing into the sand. It was breathtaking. Emily hadn't thought of home at all, although to be honest it was mostly because Tara kept her busy. "Please tell me you're not wearing a one piece again." Tara kept on talking without skipping a beat as Emily went into their shared bathroom. "What's wrong with my one piece?" Emily rolled her eyes already knowing the answer Tara would give. It would be something along the lines of Emily being a prude.

"It's such a prude thing to wear. I mean are you 30 or 16? Jesus Em, you need to show off your body before you lose it." Of course Emily knew what Tara would say, they were cousins and best friends. Her only other best friend other than Steve of course. "Fine." She didn't want to argue about clothes with Tara, mostly because she always ended up doing what Tara said.

Tara was 17 and about to graduate high school. She was an average student but her extracurricular activities were outstanding. Tara was of course a cheerleader, if you asked Emily, she looked the part. She was tall,skinny, had blue eyes, blonde hair, and somehow managed to keep her tanned skin even in Wisconsin. The cousins were polar opposites when it came to looks… Emily was short, curvy, had hazel eyes, brown hair, and once winter came her tan would go away. But even though they were opposites, they always had a great bond that kept them together.

Finally emerging out of the bathroom with a two piece bikini, her favorite shorts and a hoodie to go over her swimsuit, Emily sat down to do her hair and makeup. "You are so getting a Cali boy this summer." Commented Tara as she finished her makeup. With an eye roll from Emily and a giggle from Tara, the girls finished their morning routine.

* * *

The walk to the arcade wasn't terrible, except for the fact that Tara complained all the way about Emily not walking fast enough and how Wesley should just go there himself. "Tara it's literally across the beach…" Emily was used to Tara's impatient behavior but she couldn't help but be surprised that even as an almost legal adult, she would never change. "I just want to get a good spot before everyone else gets there. Wesley! Don't cross the street like that." Wesley still crossed, thankfully for him there were no cars but right behind him was Tara already yelling at him for being reckless. The siblings had their moments but they definitely argued more than Emily and Dustin did.

All of the sudden Emily felt something collide with her as she finished crossing. She was on the ground before she got a chance to balance herself and her cheeks were already blushing with embarrassment. "Sorry." Came the not so apologetic sounding voice of a kid. "It's fine, I wasn't looking either so I'm sorry." Emily couldn't help but be nice, even though it was her who had been knocked down. She took a moment to observe the young girl. She was almost as tall as her, young, maybe around 12 or 13, had blue eyes and the most beautiful red hair she had seen. The girl had a skateboard and had major attitude, she was different from other girls Emily had met.

"Nice fall Maxine." There was someone behind the younger girl… A boy. He looked like trouble, the kind girls loved but deep down knew they should avoid. Emily took in his smirk, taunting the younger girl, the cigarette in his hand, his toned tanned body and his stunning blue eyes. His eyes were hypnotic, they stood out with how tanned he was. He had golden curls framing his face and Emily couldn't help but wonder how someone could look this good. She was snapped out of her thoughts when the guy redirected his attention to her. "Are you okay? Dipshit did you apologize for running this pretty girl over." He had a smile on his face and his charm was over the top. Although Emily couldn't stop the blush creeping up on her face, she also felt like this guy was a douchebag. He was speaking horrible to this girl, whom she thought was his sister maybe, and then he just right out flirted with her. "It's fine. It was my fault, I wasn't looking." Emily kept her gaze on the girl, Maxine, hoping to avoid the guys gaze. "I have to catch up with my cousins but I hope you're okay."

Emily turned around and went to walk away but the guy had no intentions to let her leave without at least knowing her name. "What's the rush?" He walked cockily towards her. "I'm sure your cousins won't mind you being late. I'm Billy, Billy Hargrove." Emily did her best to not cringe, of course she had met cocky guys like this one, but there was something about him that was even more assholeish than the others. "Nice to meet you Billy. But I do really need to go." Emily backed away not allowing him to reach her fully but before she knew what was happening he had grabbed her hand and pressed a kiss on top of it. "And a beautiful girl like you has to have a name…" Emily knew a guy like him wouldn't stop so she decided to just get the conversation over with. "Emily Henderson. And I think you need to go to Billy, wouldn't want to keep your sister waiting." At the mention of Maxine Billy's eyes darkened. "She's not my sister." He stepped back and stood rigid, it was a sudden change of mood and Emily picked up on it fast. "Okay, well you and Maxine have a great day." As Emily turned she also noticed Maxine rolled her eyes at the mention of her name. She couldn't help but think that whatever they were, one thing was for sure...They were dysfunctional and odd.

A few shops ahead stood Tara whom seemed to be looking around for her. Wesley was nowhere in sight but the arcade was just a shop away from where Tara stood so there was no doubt he was already in there. Tara finally spotted Emily and rushed towards her. "Em, where have you been? We looked everywhere for you… Until Wesley got tired and went to play in the arcade, he's such a brat." She embraced Emily in a tight hug, revealing the protective side she had as the oldest. "I thought you were lost or got kidnapped." Emily softly untangled herself from Tara's arms. "Well you can say I was basically harassed if that counts." She hadn't planned on telling Tara what happened knowing that she would be mainly stuck on the fact that the Hargrove guy was hot. Not that Emily considered him hot, well he was but it was a jerk kind of hot. "Harassed! By who? I'll kill them! We need to report this Em, lets go." Tara grabbed her hand and started dragging her god knows where but Emily stood her ground. "It's fine T, I'll tell you all about it at the beach. Now lets go tan like we planned to." Although Tara was reluctant to let things go, she knew that her cousin wouldn't be so calm if it was something super bad. So she followed behind Emily, and once they settled she listened to the events that happened.

* * *

"So this Hargrove guy was super hot and you came to find me instead of going out with him?"

Typical Tara.

Emily rolled her eyes and let out a frustrated sigh. "I tell you how this guy was a major dick to his sister or whatever she was. How he invaded my personal space, assumed I would be wooed by his fake charm and then went from charming to creepy in seconds, and all you care about is that he's hot." It wasn't a question but more of a statement, because honestly Emily would never expect anything different from Tara. Yet a part of her couldn't help but be annoyed that her cousin didn't seem to care about how rude this guy was. "Come on Em, what guy isn't a total asshole at this age. Its like their only normal behavior." Tara would know about this more than Emily, considering she dated a bunch of assholes. Emily wasn't a hundred percent happy with her cousins love life, but it was her life and she respected that. "I know but that doesn't mean I'm going to automatically be head over heels this guy. I'm not just going to drool after him T." Emily stood up and got ready to go into the ocean, they had been tanning for hours and she needed to cool off. She also needed a subject change. "Now let's go in the beautiful Californian ocean and enjoy our day as planned." Tara noticed Emily was getting annoyed, so she dropped the subject for now and followed behind.

They were enjoying the feeling of the waves, the laughter of kids around them, and of course the surfers. Tara was practically drooling, meanwhile Emily was a bit more subtle. "Look at that one! He's built like a god!" Tara whispered as the guy she was talking about swam back to shore. He looked familiar but Emily couldn't see him that well yet. "He is, but more important than his body, he was super talented at surfing." Emily would play this game with Tara, it was never mentioned but they both knew it was a sort of teasing game in which Tara cared about guys looks and Emily would burst her bubble and remind her they had a personality, characteristics and talents that mattered also. "Sure, sure. Oh god he's coming this way! Quick do I look okay?" Tara tried to fix her half wet hair in a rush, Emily on the other hand didn't care. This guy would probably just pass them by without talking. They were in California, she doubted that any of these guys would care about them when they had all the Californian girls that dripped sex appeal. The last thing she expected was to hear the voice that came from the surfer.

"Looking good Henderson."

It was Billy fucking Harrington. The blush that creeped up on Emily's tanned neck and face was beyond like any other. She crossed her arms and sent him a glare. But before she could say anything Tara was already talking. "Oh, so you're THE Billy Hargrove. Wow Tara was right...You are hot!" Billy couldn't help the chuckle that left him, he knew that he had an effect on this Emily chick as much as she tried to be rude and turn him down. Emily on the other hand felt like she was sucker punched in the stomach, was it possible to be tomato red when tanned, because that's what she felt like right now.. A tomato. "I never said that Tara." She half screamed trying to control her anger. How could Tara do this… "No need to hide the truth Henderson, I know how I look and that girls appreciate it." There it was the smug smirk he seemed to wear all the time. "Is that what you tell yourself to boost your ego." Emily retaliated quickly, she knew that if she didn't, he would destroy her over Tara's word vomit. "No, that's what you tell others apparently. I'm sorry I didn't catch your name. You are?" Billy knew he would have better luck with the blonde that stood next to the Henderson chick. "Tara, you were really good out there." Tara wasted no time in swooping into the conversation, she knew her cousin didn't like this guy but that didn't mean she had to not like him. "Thanks and nice to meet you Tara. Are you guys friends or..?" Billy continued talking to Tara completely ignoring Emily, which annoyed her but she wouldn't admit it. "Cousins, we're cousins." Tara giggled and flipped her hair, working her charm. Emily knew she had to intervene quick or she would be seeing a lot more of Billy Hargrove for the rest of the day. "We have to go. Wesley is probably out of money at the arcade." She began to pull Tara away from Billy but she seemed to be having a very unlucky day because the worst possible thing came out of Billy's mouth. "Leaving already again. Shame. And here I was about to invite you beautiful girls to a party…" He dropped his eyes and shook his head, hoping to look disappointed. "A party?" Tara's eyes nearly bulged out of her head. "It's at a beach house, a classmate of mine. Tonight. You should come, both of you." He said the last part as he looked at Emily, he knew Tara would say yes which meant Emily would be dragged with. "Well be there!" Tara practically yelled, this was like a dream come true for her. Not only was she in California but now she was going to a party full of hot Californian boys and invited by one. Emily on the other hand did not like this at all, she knew she had to get out of this somehow. "Tara we really need to go." She would do her best to ignore Billy, for now her focus was to get away from him. "I'll see you ladies tonight." Billy winked and started paddling deeper into the ocean, he knew he had won. He wasn't sure why but he wanted to see Emily Henderson again. Maybe it was the fact she rejected him and he had never been rejected, but he would be damned if he didn't at least make out with her tonight.

Opposite from him were Tara and Emily, gathering their things. Tara was rambling about finding an outfit, while Emily was trying to not freak out on Tara. "I seriously can't believe you right now!" She yelled so loud that the family next to them stopped to stare. "What's wrong Em? I didn't mean to upset you…" Tara genuinely didn't see the problem, but that's because she always pushed Emily to do things her way and had never seen Emily snap at her or say otherwise. "You knew I didn't want to talk to him, yet that didn't seem to matter because all you wanted to do was go to the fucking party." Emily rarely cursed but she was livid with Tara, and Tara was starting to notice she messed up. "Em...I didn't think you felt so strongly about it. I'm sorry." Tara went to reach for Emily's hand but she stepped away. "We won't go to the party, I promise. Just please don't be mad at me." Tara still grabbed onto her hand. Emily began thinking that maybe she was overreacting, she didn't know this guy well and maybe he wasn't so bad. Plus it would be unfair to ask Tara to not go to the party knowing they would never get an opportunity like this again.

"No, it's fine. Let's go to the party." She whispered feeling a little defeated. Tara knew Emily was just doing it to please her but she really wanted to go to the party… "We really don't have to. Emily we can just stay in and watch movies or explore the malls." But Emily had made up her mind. She had come to California looking for a change and a distraction, maybe this was her distraction. Emily did have to admit that meeting Billy had distracted her almost all day from Steve… "We're going T. Now let's go get Wesley and go get ready." Tara squealed and hugged her. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" Emily tried to push Tara's death grip away, failing miserably. "When you go back to Hawkins you'll tell Steve all about tonight and he will regret ever letting you come to Cali single." Tara's comment made Emily falter...Would Steve really be jealous? Did she care if he was? Would that change anything? She would be lying if she said that the comment didn't affect her decision of going even more. At first she felt guilty but now she felt hopeful, maybe it would make Steve jealous or maybe it could finally help her get over girls left to the arcade and later to their rental house to get ready, each one with different expectations from the party and different reasons for going. This night was going to change things in their lives, and they both had no idea how much it would affect their futures.

* * *

**Authors Note:**

**Here it is a brand new chapter! I took a little longer writing this one because I wanted to read the Runaway Mad Max story to get a little bit more insight on Billy's and Max's life back in California. I'm hoping Billy and Max didn't seem too OOC but I also want them to be different from how they would be in Hawkins because California was their home and I believe their personality in a familiar place is different from when they moved.**

**I don't have a set upload schedule but I will try to upload every week. I definitely want to say thank you to everyone who followed, favorited and reviewed this story! **

**I hope you all enjoy this chapter and I will see you all next time!**


	4. Chapter 3: She'll Only Come Out at Night

Chapter 3

"_She'll only come out at night"_

Maneater - Hall & Oates

Emily was nervous. She was nervous about many things. First, the fact that Hargrove would be there. Second, they're going to a party in which they know no one. And third, she had a weird feeling about Tara getting into trouble tonight.

Tara on the other hand was almost done getting ready. After they picked up Wesley, they arrived to the rental house and Tara begged her parents to let her go to a party that her "new friend" had invited them to. Of course she let her parents assume that "friend" was a girl, and not a boy, something Emily wished they would have picked up on so they didn't have to go.

After begging for what seemed hours, her aunt thought it would be a good idea for them to make friends in California. She trusted Emily and knew Tara would be in great hands if Emily was around, so she convinced her husband that the girls should go. Needless to say, Tara basically inhaled her dinner in order to get ready for the night, Emily though enjoyed the dinner time and purposely ate slow to avoid the inevitable for a while.

"What do you think?" Tara emerged from the bathroom in a neon green skirt, white crop top and pumps. Her hair was scrunched with hair products in order to get what she passed off as curls. And her makeup was definitely screaming party girl. Overall, Emily had no doubt Tara would fit in at this party.

Emily stood up from her seat. "You look amazing T!" She smiled brightly, knowing Tara was excited for the night and that excitement was rubbing off on her.

Tara took a look at Emily, approving of her outfit. She wished Emily would be more bold with her colors, but she was grateful she wasn't being a prude at least. Emily wore a denim skirt, with a plain white tank crop top, and heels. She didn't do much to her makeup, other than the red lips which Tara envied. Emily always had a pretty face with or without makeup. She also preferred to leave her hair in her natural waves, something uncommon during this time.

"Wow Em, you look gorgeous! Billy's going to die when he sees you." It slipped out before Tara could catch it.

Emily's gaze hardens. "Billy?" She went to grab her red lipstick to put in her bag. " I honestly don't know why you talk about him so much Tara. I honestly don't even want to see that jerk."

Tara simply nodded and let the whole conversation go. There was something about the way Emily spoke about Billy, she had seen this look before when Emily got annoyed at Steve. And Billy was definitely into her cousin. It didn't take a genius to put two and two together.

"Are you ready? I want to get this over with…" Emily muttered, trying to not look so miserable.

Tara got her bagged and started walking out of their room. "Let's go!"

Both girls said their good nights and left the home. They managed to get a cab to this unknown house. And just like that Emily's worries came back.

* * *

They could hear _Maneater_ playing loudly as soon as they stepped out of the cab. There were teens all over the place. Some were in their cars showing off, others smoking and doing other drugs. There were cups all over the ground. Dancing, make out sessions, drinking… It was a party all right…

Emily's walk slowed down as she looked around her, suddenly regretting coming. The house was big. It looked like a mansion to her, and Hargrove wasn't kidding when he said it was near the beach. You could see couples walking down the beach to do god knows what.

"Let's go get a drink." Tara grabbed her hand and shouted over all the chaos.

As they walked in, the noise level increased and personal space became non-existent. Tara was an expert at navigating in parties so she was able to get them to the kitchen quickly. She served two cups of… some red punch. Tara drank from hers and didn't seem to die.

But as soon as Emily downed the liquid, her throat was on fire. She spluttered and tried her best to not spit it, the last thing she needed was her white shirt to be dirty.

"Wow."

Those were the only words she could say. Tara just smiled and encouraged her to keep sipping. The more she drank, the less her throat burned and before she knew it her cup was empty.

But instead of grabbing more, Tara pulled them to the dance floor. Emily knew she could be a light weight sometimes. And tonight was one of those rare sometimes. Whatever that punch had, kicked her straight into tipsy. She was dancing and that was her main concentration point.

At one point she noticed Tara was dancing with a guy, when that happened, she had no clue. Feeling awkward she went back to the kitchen to grab another drink. This time she chugged it down.

She took a moment to look around, and everyone looked like she expected. Girls were dressed in so much neon, they had tons of makeup, they were busty and what she considered California looking. Then the guys were all either shirtless, had cigarettes in their hands, and they gave off the asshole vibe Hargrove had. No wonder he was like that.

She chugged one more cup down and realized she might need to get some fresh air. But first she made sure Tara was okay. Which she was, since it seemed that she had found her nights conquest whom she was making out with already.

Almost reaching the door to the back, she heard a noise that sounded like a giggle but forced or fake. And there he was, the person whom had invited them yet seemed too preoccupied to even remember he had done so.

Hargrove was holding onto this girls waist, and she was practically clinging onto him. He was whispering something to her, at which the girl laughed. She looked and sounded like a blonde bimbo, not that Emily cared.

She wanted to walk away but something kept her there. Part of her wanted to scream at Hargrove at how rude it was to invite someone and not even bother making sure they were there or okay. But the other part didn't know why she was being this dramatic. It's not like they personally knew this guy.

As she went to turn, her eyes made contact with the girls. "What you staring at creep." This blonde girl practically yelled out, not caring that there were people there. Emily got more angrier than embarrassed. But then she saw how Hargrove switched his gaze towards her, he had a shocked look in his eyes but a smirk on his lips.

Emily wanted to reply but she decided it wasn't worth it. So she turned and kept walking towards the door, oblivious to Billy yelling her name.

* * *

Billy wasn't sure what it was about the Henderson chick. He wouldn't admit it, but tonight when he got ready he kept thinking of what could impress HER…. He never thought about what a girl would like. Fuck he didn't care what other girls thought of him, as long as they gave out. But tonight was different.

Billy beat himself up for not telling them that he would pick them up. For not meeting them once they walked through the doors. And for not approaching Henderson sooner… He saw her walk in, hell he saw her get out of the cab with her cousin. Sure he had been busy trying to find a girl to hang around his neck, but that didn't mean he wasn't aware of her in the party.

The girl around him, whom he didn't even know her name, was extremely clingy. Which was perfect to make Henderson jealous but annoying for him. For a split moment he got lost in the booze and the girl, which fucking ruined his chances with Henderson. She might have maintained a neutral face but he knew his chance was over. There was a guilty feeling building up in him… he allowed the girl to snap at Henderson but when she turned and left, it was like he went on automatic.

"Henderson!" He went to step towards her. "Where are you going?" Asked the girl in her idiotic shrilled voice.

"Fuck off cow." Billy picked up his pace and followed her out the doors.

For a short person, Henderson could sure walk fast. She had taken of her heels, her footprints marking the sand. Emily had made it to the shoreline, she was frustrated. How could he be making out with that bimbo, and not even care that she saw them. California people had no manners.

Unknowingly to her, Billy was behind her already. He made sure to make no sound, but fuck he wanted a smoke. What was he going to say to her. He wasn't going to apologize, even though he felt like he should. He couldn't take it anymore, he flicked the lighter and inhaled.

Emily froze, knowing immediately he had followed her. "What are you doing here?"

He exhaled. "I should ask you that. I invited you to the party Henderson, not to come sulk at the beach."

"I'm not sulking. What I am is trying to calm down since your bimbo was incredibly rude for no reason to me." She refused to look at him, to give him the satisfaction of knowing that maybe just maybe he struck a nerve.

Billy moved closer until he sat down beside her, a chuckle escaped him. "You were jealous."

"What! No! Why would I be jealous." Maybe it was the booze but her face turned red in less than a second. She couldn't believe him! She was most definitely not jealous. He was Billy Hargrove, the jerk and creep from the beach.

"Your face says otherwise sweet-cheeks." Without noticing, Billy was smiling. Not his usual smirk, but a full blown smile. He was mentally kicking himself for it, but he couldn't stop it. There was something about Henderson, he enjoyed her company.

Emily scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Do not call me that. And trust me, I could care less about you and what you do." Emily wanted to firmly believe these words but she couldn't deny that she didn't mind Billy as much as she did before. Of course he was still a jerk but his smile proved that he was human and had a heart. The smile also made butterflies fly around her stomach and her heart flutter, but she decided to ignore that for now.

"Ouch." He laid his hand against his heart. "What did I ever do to you to make you hate me so much." Although he was being sarcastic, he was a little bothered by her coldness and sarcasm. This wasn't a girls usual behavior towards him.

Emily faltered. She wasn't sure how to answer that. Honestly she had only just met him and while their first encounter wasn't the best, everyone has their good days and bad days. But there was also the obvious factor that he was a douchebag who thought himself to be irresistible to girls. He also had a horrible cocky attitude, that she sometimes found hot but would also never admit.

Billy inhaled his cigarette and exhaled the puff of air away from her. "Exactly. There's absolutely no reason to hate me so much Henderson." He proceeded to put the cigarette out on the sand. "You should let me prove to you how much of a great guy I am. Let me take you out."

Emily snorted. "Ha ha, You're right. You're more than an asshole, you're also a comedian." She didn't want to say yes but she also didn't want to let Billy know that she was considering it. Emily knew that all he wanted to do was get inside her pants and then leave. But she would never let that happen. As naive as it seems, she treasured not having lost her innocence yet. Sure all her friends were having sex, even Steve much to her dislike, but that just wasn't her thing.

"You're not saying no." He pointed out. "I'll pick you up tomorrow night at 7pm." He arrogantly smirked and stood up,dusting the sand off him. Then he stretched out his hand to help her up.

Emily took his hand, after giving it a glare. "I never agreed to this Hargrove...But I guess it wouldn't hurt to see what else there is to do here in California." She would take this opportunity to go out,and to finally take a break from Tara. Fuck, Tara! "I should go back and find my cousin."

Billy knew their time together was coming to an end, but he would make tomorrow night worthwhile. "Come on, I'll help you find her." They walked side by side back to the house, taking notice that the party had died down. They must have been outside longer than they thought.

After searching the whole house and asking around, Tara was nowhere to be found. Emily couldn't believe her cousin had left without her. Maybe she thought Emily had left, causing her to leave. But that wasn't like Tara...She would have at least checked outside for Emily. "Henderson. Your cousin might be home late tonight from what I heard." Billy came back to her after they decided to split up to look for her.

"What do you mean?" Emily had a bad feeling about what Billy would say next.

Billy smirked as if he found the whole situation amusing. "She left with a guy. They're probably fucking around somewhere."

Emily flinched at his harsh words. She knew her cousin wasn't a virgin but she didn't want to think about her sexual life. "But Tara wouldn't just leave me here. We came together." Emily frowned as she spoke, she loved her cousin but maybe she was capable of just leaving her for a guy. But something wasn't sitting well… She had a terrible feeling.

"Come on, I'll take you home sweet-cheeks." Billy grabbed her hand and dragged her out of the house. He could be such a caveman sometimes, Emily thought. Yet she let herself be dragged, she didn't want to take a cab alone in this city she knew nothing about. So for now she would take Hargroves offer.

Emily tried keeping up with his long steps but she was almost tripping over her own feet. "Can you slow down!" And thankfully he did. "I'm only letting you drive me home because I'm more scared of a random cab driver than you."

"Or you love my company so much that you can't bear to be away from me." He couldn't help but smile again, fuck he hated that she made him smile so fucking much. Billy tried covering it up with a smirk but it was too late,she had already seen him and her heart was already fluttering.

Emily didn't bother replying, not because she didn't have a response, but because she was in awe at his car… Turns out Billy had a beautiful blue Camaro that fit in perfectly with his bad boy style. She didn't know much about cars, but she knew how to appreciate the ones that look as nice as that one. "This is yours?"

"Yeah, this is my baby. The only important thing in my life." Billy opened the door for her first, this caught her off guard. But she got in and admired the inside. As Billy went around to get in, she couldn't help but notice the blankets in the backseat. She doubted he just kept those to sleep in his car, they most definitely were for his little tryst with the many girls he went out with. "What's the address?"

She gave Billy the rental home address and admire the purr of the Camaro as they pulled out of the driveway. They didn't talk much, other than Billy trying to tell her they should stop the car and have some "fun". Then he gave up with his endless flirting, and turned on the radio. He blasted the music and drummed his fingers along the steering wheel. He looked so carefree and relaxed. Emily couldn't help but admire this side of him.

They were arriving to her street and thankfully he turned down the volume before she even said anything. "Here we are sweet-cheeks." He pulled in front of the driveway.

"Thank you Billy, I really appreciate you bringing me home." Emily unbuckled herself and was about to step out when Billy grabbed her hand.

He smirked and she swore his eyes were twinkling in the dark. "You didn't call me Hargrove."

Emily faltered knowing she was softening up to him, but she wasn't going to let him know. "Did I? I didn't even notice." Emily moved her hand away from his, and stepped out of the car quickly.

Billy chuckled as she got out, not minding her quick exit. "I'll see you tomorrow Emily." And just like that he left. Not knowing how much him saying her name had affected her, just like when he heard her say his name.

Emily was quiet as she went inside the house. Everyone was already sleeping so she didn't want to wake them up. She was sure she wouldn't get into trouble because her aunt and uncle knew her and Tara would be back late. But she also didn't want to worry them, if they saw Tara wasn't with her. As she walked into their shared room she hoped Tara would be there, but once the door was closed and the lights on, the only thing she saw were empty beds. Something was wrong and she knew it, but there wasn't even a clue as to where Tara would be right now. So she got ready for bed, and layed down. Her thoughts taking turns from Tara to Billy. After 3am she couldn't keep her eyes open anymore, she just hoped that Tara was safe and would be back before her aunt and uncle woke up.

* * *

**Authors Note:**

**As always thank you so much for the follows and favorites! And also all the reviews! **

**I know I can't wait for Emily to go back to Hawkins but I definitely want her to have some background with Billy beforehand, so fair warning it might be a few chapters until we see the Hawkins gang again. **

**I also wanted to say that if anyone has any suggestions or errors that need to be pointed out, please let me know! This is my first time writing and publishing a fan-fiction so any criticism helps!**

**See you all next time!**


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